UPDATE: As a result of this report and my inquiries, the IDF spokesperson released the following statement (translated):

…Today, 23 October 2017, the commander of IDF land forces, Gen. Kobi Barak, suspended…Brig. Gen. Mordechai Kahane from his post for 14 days. The decision was approved by chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot.

The suspension was related to a military police investigation of the officer in regards to charges that he acquired and maintained, illegally and over a long period, military and civilian equipment. The investigation is ongoing in accordance with developments in the case regarding the officer.

This is an example of the power of democratic media to hold Israeli institutions accountable for their actions.

Israeli media reports that an IDF general has for years maintained a personal illicit armory of military weapons, an SUV, TVs, bicycles, computer printers, and washing machines for his personal use. An Israeli TV news report called it a “weapons supermarket.” Other reports indicate he plundered AK-47 rifles captured from Hamas fighters during battle as military souvenirs. He even stole military boots for use by members of his own family. The army is trying to sweep this investigation under the rug by minimizing the extent of his theft and his motives in amassing this contraband. They’re also emphasizing his spotless previous record. None of which obviates the crimes he committed.

Further, the army has placed a gag order on identifying the officer. Thanks to an Israeli who contacted me and a journalist who confirmed the information, I can say that the suspect is Brig. Gen. Mordechai Kahane. He is the nephew of the infamous Meir Kahane. His father, Nachman, was Kahane’s brother. He was raised in the incendiary environment of the settler yeshivas of East Jerusalem and now serves as the army’s chief of the Combat Intelligence Corps and commander of the Border Protection Division.

There’s an even stranger wrinkle to this case: last month an IDF unit in the Golan suffered a fatal accident during a training exercise. A self-propelled gun mounted on a vehicle overturned and two soldiers were killed inside it. Another two were seriously injured. Though such accidents are not uncommon in an army that is continually preparing for war, they do shock Israeli society. So it’s important that these incidents be investigated and lessons learned (at least in theory) from them.

In this case, the army has turned to a trusted officer who has investigated such accidents before and can be trusted to protect the reputation of the army no matter what. That officer is none other than…Mordechai Kahane. It is inexplicable that the IDF, knowing Kahane is being investigated for serious crimes, chose him to conduct such any investigation, let alone one as sensitive as this one. Though the news reports say he was first questioned about the theft last Sunday, it seems highly likely someone in the IDF knew about the earlier suspicions against him when he was appointed to investigate the crash.

That’s another reason why his identity is under gag. Revealing his name will further embarrass the army and raise questions about the judgment of those who make these decisions (as well it should). If you are an Israeli reading this, please share this information which should be free and open to the Israeli public, so it can know what the IDF does in its name; and so that it can be held accountable for its decisions.

Recently while working out in the gym in downtown Tel Aviv, a man came in with a כהנא חי׳ t-shirt on (Kahane Chai/Lives), I told him that this was no place for his racist views, then felt like a hypocrite because no place in Israel is any place for that kind of horrible scurrilous racism — but increasingly I notice that the itch is being scratched and just like in “Trump USA” and “Brexit Britain” people feel they have a carte-blanche for being able to say what should be kept to themselves and/or changed.

@ gefilte: That’s pretty shocking in Tel Aviv. I might expect it in a settlement or in Jerusalem. But not cosmopolitan T.A. I don’t think Brexit compares to Kahane Chai. But Trump’s slogans & policies certainly do.

Vote Up0Vote Down Reply

October 23, 2017 2:38 AM

gefilte

I was indeed shocked, he was an American Oleh which might explain some of his misguided hubris.

@ Alanh: I strongly doubt it. Israeli lawyers have argued that you can. But I think they’re full of shit. Even if you were charged with a crime (again unlikely), the likelihood they’re going to prosecute you is infinitesimal. If they do, please let me know. I’ll shame the hell out of them.

Vote Up0Vote Down Reply

October 23, 2017 2:40 AM

gefilte

At the risk of raising your ire, I will have to speak to my (you claim non-existent) sources about this.

Vote Up0Vote Down Reply

October 23, 2017 5:34 AM

lepxii

Actually the gag is “standard” in this case, and is also partially to supposedly protect the defendant’s privacy (which is silly – since everybody gets around the gag, and the gag really increased interest). His name will got out officially in a month or so (max).

The alleged crimes are far from serious – private momentos and minor equipment hoarding…. The motivation here is quite different – this is a ***HIT JOB*** on Kipa wearing officers – part of a series – e.g. Ofek Buchris – which are motivated by the top brass (which is very much, still, old school Mapai – one of the last holdouts) trying to avoid having hardcore Gush Emunim advance to Aluf level (General).

@ lepxii: The gag ended a few hrs after I sent Dover Tzahal an inquiry asking whether Kahane remained the leader of the Golan accident inquiry. I intended that to be a subtle reference to the theft inquiry. They got the hint & lifted the gag very soon after that.

The crimes are indeed serious. The SUV he appropriate is alone worth $40-50,000. The military equipment also is valuable.

The claim by an Orthodox Jew that the investigation is a hit job against Orthodox officers is laughable since virtually the entire officer corps is now Orthodox (no not the entire corps, but a substantial majority is, as proven by sociological research published in major Israeli media). So why would a predominantly ORthodox officer corps plot against a fellow Orthodox Jew? It makes no sense.

As for the claim the “top brass” are Mapai (a party that died 50 yrs ago), again ridiculous. Virtually no recent senior IDF officers have joined anything but the Likud or far right ranks as candidates. Not for lack of trying. The centrist (former Labor) parties have tried to recruit them and they’ve failed to to respond. SO there goes another conspiracy theory.

Buchris engaged in sexual crimes. Your attempt to minimize his crimes is offensive. When an Orthodox officer rapes a woman it’s not a crime, but when a secular officer does it is???

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